Hasina asks Awami League leaders to reach out to people ahead of election

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has described the 11th parliamentary election as ‘very significant’ for the Awami League and asked its leaders to give importance to the people’s mandate.

She urged the party leaders to be united and get ready for sacrifices to ensure the formation of government by the party for the third consecutive term by winning the people’s hearts.

She also asked them to reach out to people to seek vote for their boat symbol at their extended meeting at the Ganabhaban on Saturday.

Members of the party’s Central Working Committee, Advisory Council, National Committee, presidents and general secretaries of metropolitan, district, Upazila and municipality units participated in the meeting.

The Awami League returned to power with absolute majority of the ruling coalition it heads by winning the elections in December, 2008 after the military-controlled caretaker government.

It formed the government for the second consecutive term through the Jan 5, 2014 election amid violent boycott by the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance.

The Election Commission is scheduled to organise the next general election by the end of this year.

“The next election is very significant for us. You must work with a mindset of sacrifice so

that the Awami League can win the election and form the government again,” Hasina said.

She also ordered the leaders to avoid any kind of untoward incident during the elections.

“Keep in mind that we don’t want the image of our party tarnished. We will have to come to power by winning the people’s hearts,” she said.

Emphasising unity, she said, “It won’t matter who becomes the candidate. All of you will have to reach out to the people to seek vote for our boat logo.”